Toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving function

ABSTRACT

A toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving function is applicable to various toilet tanks and includes a main body and a fixture. The main body has at least one drain tube (vent). The fixture has one end fixed to the toilet tank and an opposite end fixed to the main body. The fixture allows an altitude of the main body in the toilet tank to be changed. Preferably, a top surface of the main body is not lower than a full water level of the toilet tank. By controlling a batch discharge capacity of a cleaner solution in the main body, the concentration of the cleaner solution is controlled in a desired range and the undissolved pieces of the automatic toilet bowl cleaner are retained from directly discharged, in order to eliminate unnecessary waste of the automatic toilet bowl cleaner and save water.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assemblywith water-saving function. More particularly, the dispatch assembly isconfigured to be loaded with automatic toilet bowl cleaners and torelease cleaner solution according to practical use conditions, so as toallow adjustment of concentration of cleaner solution in a toilet tankand provide water-saving function.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional toilets are typically made as ceramic devices throughfiring in high temperature. Among others, white toilets are popular fortheir shining and clean appearances. However, through daily use, thewhite bowl surface needs frequent clean in addition to regular flushes,for fearing the stains and stink that otherwise occur.

For meeting such extra clean needs, there has been proposed an automatictoilet bowl cleaner A, as shown in FIG. 1. In use, the automatic toiletbowl cleaner A is directly dropped into a toilet tank for gradualdissolution into water. Afterward, the user's pushing the toilet flushbutton can cause flush water containing the cleaner to flush the toiletbowl and bring ordure away along the piping and thereby automaticallyclean the toilet bowl. While such a conventional automatic toilet bowlcleaner for being directly dropped into the toilet tank is convenientand easy to use, it nevertheless possesses some shortcomings and needsto be improved. The first problem to be addressed is its uncontrollableconcentration. As the automatic toilet bowl cleaner is entirely immersedin water at the toilet tank, it continuously dissolves into water. Thelonger it stays in a certain batch of water, the higher itsconcentration is in the water at the toilet tank. In other words, thedepletion of an automatic toilet bowl cleaner starts at the time it isdropped into the toilet tank where it gradually dissolves at apredetermined rate. Depending on the places where toilets are installed,their use incidence can differ significantly. However, there is no meansprovided to the aforementioned conventional automatic toilet bowlcleaner itself to change the dissolving rate according to the useincidence of a toilet where it is installed. Hence, in a toilet lessfrequently used (such as one in a small household), each flush canrelease water with an excessively high concentration of cleaner, causingunnecessary waste. On the contrary, for a toilet in a public place (suchas one in a restaurant or a train station), which is much morefrequently flushed, it is very likely that the tank water is releasedbefore accumulating a meaningful concentration of the cleaner, causingunsatisfying cleaning effects.

The conventional approach where an automatic toilet bowl cleaner isdirectly dropped into a toilet tank has another problem in addition tothe one stated above about the uncontrollable concentration. That is,while the automatic toilet bowl cleaner gradually dissolves in water toa certain extent, it is apt to break into small pieces that may bepossibly discharged through the drain hole at the bottom of the toilettank with the flush water, also causing unnecessary waste. Sometimes,these undissolved small cleaner pieces can even stock the drain hole tohinder the full closing of the shut-off valve. Consequently, theshut-off valve, which is designed to automatically fall down undergravity after flush, can not fully closes the drain hole and waterleakage thus happens, causing undesired waste of valuable waterresources. Such waste of water truly diverges from the prevailing trendyof resource preservation and energy conservation, and needs to beremedied.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide atoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving function, whichserves to adjust the supply amount of the cleaner solution according tothe use frequency of a toilet where it is installed, thereby adjustingthe concentration of an automatic toilet bowl cleaner.

A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide atoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving function, whichprevents undissolved broken pieces of an automatic toilet bowl cleanerfrom being discharged with water and wasted.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide atoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving function, whichfacilitates gradual dissolution and prolonged use life of a bar-shapedautomatic toilet bowl cleaner accommodated therein.

Still another objective of the present invention is to provide atoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving function, whichprevents undissolved broken pieces of an automatic toilet bowl cleanerfrom being discharged with water and hindering the normal operation ofthe shut-off valve of a toilet where it is installed.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide atoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving function, whichis configured to be installed in a toilet tank to adjust the batch waterretention capacity of the toilet tank after each flush, thereby savingwater.

For achieving the above and other objectives of the present invention, atoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving function ismainly composed of a main body and a fixture. The main body is providedtherein with an accommodating space for receiving an automatic toiletbowl cleaner and is provided thereon with at least one drain tube(vent). The fixture has one end fixed to a toilet tank and an oppositeend fixed to the main body, so that the main body is positioned in thetoilet tank by means of the fixture. Preferably, a top surface of themain body is not lower than a full water level of the toilet tank. Thedispatch assembly is characterized in that the fixture holding the mainbody is adjustable in length or in position with respective to the mainbody, so as to allow the altitude of the main body in the toilet tank tobe changed, and the dispatch assembly is also characterized in that thebatch discharge capacity of the drain tube (vent) on the main body issmaller than the overall capacity of the main body during each flushtravel of the toilet tank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention as well as a preferred mode of use and advantages thereofwill be best understood by referring to the following detaileddescription of the illustrative embodiments in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional automatic toilet bowlcleaner;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assemblywith water-saving function according a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing showing the toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatchassembly of FIG. 2 assembled to a toilet;

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assemblywith water-saving function according a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of a third embodiment of the presentinvention wherein a main body of a toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assemblyis provided therein with a supporting member;

FIG. 7 is an applied view of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing of a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention wherein a main body of a toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assemblyis provided therein with a supporting member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For illustrating the toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly withwater-saving function proposed by the present invention, the belowdetailed description is made to be read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings. Please first refer to FIG. 2 for an exploded viewof the toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving functionaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention. Thetoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly mainly comprises a main body 1 anda fixture 2. The main body 1 is provided therein with an accommodatingspace 11 for receiving an automatic toilet bowl cleaner 3. The main body1 is formed with a drain tube (vent) 13. The fixture 2 has one end fixedto a toilet tank 4 (as shown in FIG. 3) and an opposite end fixed to themain body 1, so that the main body 1 is positioned inside the toilettank 4 by means of the fixture 2. The present invention is characterizedin that the fixture 2 holding the main body 1 is adjustable in length soas to allow the altitude of the main body 1 in the toilet tank 4 to bechanged. The present invention is also characterized in that the batchdischarge capacity of the drain tube (vent) 13 of the main body 1 issmaller than the overall capacity of the main body 1 during the flushtravel of the toilet tank 4.

In virtue of the foregoing structure, the main body 1 allows a user toput the conventionally used automatic toilet bowl cleaner 3 therein forgradually dissolution. In response to the user's pushing the flushbutton, water level in the toilet tank 4 lowers rapidly so that thecleaner solution stored in the main body 1 is automatically drainedthrough the drain tube (vent) 13 on the main body 1, and mixed with theremnant water in the toilet tank 4 for cleaning the toilet bowl. Oncethe toilet tank 4 drains out water therein, it starts to store water andthe incoming water reversely flows into the main body 1 through thedrain tube (vent) 13 until the water levels inside and outside the mainbody 1 become equal. The batch discharge capacity of the drain tube(vent) 13 for the cleaner solution is only one fourth to one third ofthe whole capacity of the accommodating space 11 of the main body 1. Inother words, in each flush, the main body 1 retains at least two thirdsto three fourths of the entire cleanser solution. Consequently, theretained cleanser solution facilitates reducing the water amountrequired by the post-flush water reserving process, thereby achievingthe purpose of water saving. Thus, by adjusting the altitude of the mainbody 1 in the toilet tank 4, the proportion of water in the toilet tank4 occupied by the main body 1 can be changed. The higher the main body 1is in the toilet tank 4, the less the water is saved, and the lower theconcentration of the automatic toilet bowl cleaner in the toilet tank 4is. On the contrary, in a normal household where the toilet is lessfrequently used, the main body 1 may be positioned lower in the toilettank 4 so as to increase the proportion of water in the toilet tank 4occupied by the main body 1, reducing the batch water retention capacityof the toilet tank 4, thereby saving more water and slightly increasingthe concentration of the automatic toilet bowl cleaner in the waterdischarged by the toilet tank 4. As a result, not only is the purpose ofsaving water achieved, but also a certain level of cleaning isaccomplished.

In the foregoing structure, the water-saving function of the presentinvention mainly relies on controlling the flowing difference betweenwater drained by the drain tube (vent) 13 of the main body 1 and drainedby the toilet tank 4 during each flush. In other words, it is controlledthat the drain tube (vent) 13 of the main body 1 drains a fixed batchdischarge capacity of the cleaner solution equal to a predeterminedproportion of the total capacity of the accommodating space of the mainbody 1 during each flush of the toilet tank (about 5-7 seconds) so thatthe left cleaner solution represents a certain amount of water in thetoilet tank that needs not to be replenished. For example, assuming thatthe accommodating space of the main body 1 is of 800 C.C., and the draintube (vent) only drains 200 C.C. of the cleaner solution during eachflush, lasting about 5-7 seconds, it means that at least 500-600 C.C. ofcleaner solution is retained in the main body 1 during each flush,denoting that when the toilet tank 4 refills water, 500-600 C.C. ofwater retention capacity can be saved.

In the above structure of the present invention, in addition to savingwater by controlling the difference between the batch discharge capacityof the drain tube (vent) 13 on the main body 1 and the water retentioncapacity of the whole main body, the present invention may have thedrain tube (vent) 13 alternatively deposited at a lateral of the mainbody 1 and separated from the bottom of the accommodating space in themain body 1 (as shown in FIG. 5) for a predetermined distance instead ofdeposited at the bottom of the main body 1. In such a case, despite ofthe diameter of the drain tube (vent) 13 of the main body 1, during eachflush travel, the cleaner solution in the accommodating space 11 of themain body 1 with the level below the drain tube (vent) 13 will not bedrained into the toilet tank, so as to save an amount of water equal tothe capacity of a height X in the main body, wherein the height X isbetween the drain tube (vent) 13 and the bottom of the accommodatingspace 11, thereby achieving the purpose of saving water similarly.

In the foregoing structure of the present invention, the end of thefixture 2 fixed to the toilet tank 4 is shaped as a U-shaped hanginghook 21 that allows the fixture 2 to be directly hung and positioned ona lateral wall of the toilet tank 4. For further fixing the fixture 2, athreaded hole 211 and a knob 22 having threads 221 may be provided at anouter side of the hanging hook 21 so that a user can manually operatethe knob 22 to make the knob 22 abut against the lateral wall of thetoilet tank 4.

In the foregoing structure of the present invention, for adjusting thealtitude of the main body 1 in the toilet tank 4, instead of using afixture of a fixed length to adjustably combine with the main body 1, afixture 2 innately having an adjustable length may be used with the mainbody 1 of the present invention. While there have been numerous knowndesigns for length adjustment, instead of recited one by one, only onepreferred embodiment is herein described for illustration. The fixture 2here is composed of a first arm 23, a second arm 24 and a fixing member25. Therein, the first arm 23 and the second arm 24 are overlapped andfastened together by means of the fixing member 25. The first arm 23 hasa side adjacent to the second arm 24 provided with a plurality ofequidistant positioning holes 231 while the second arm 24 has a sideadjacent to the first arm 23 provided with at least one positioning post241. Basing on the configuration, by making the positioning post 241 ofthe second arm 24 couple with different positioning holes 231 of thefirst arm 23 via the fixing member 25, the length of the fixture 2 canbe adjusted.

In the foregoing structure of the present invention, a finely meshedfiltering net 15 is further provided between the drain tube (vent) 13and the automatic toilet bowl cleaner 3 inside the accommodating space11 of the main body 1. The filtering net 15 serves to receive theautomatic toilet bowl cleaner 3 and effectively prevents undissolvedpieces of the automatic toilet bowl cleaner 3 from being dischargedalong with water, thereby effectively preventing back-up that happens tothe conventional structure and ensuring full dissolution of theautomatic toilet bowl cleaner 3, in turn avoiding undesired waste.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is another preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. Therein, the filtering net 15 instead of beingsettled in the accommodating space 11 of the main body 1 for receivingthe automatic toilet bowl cleaner 3, as described in the precedingparagraph, may be directly settled at a front end of the drain tube(vent) (as shown in FIG. 5), for achieving the same filtering effect.

Moreover, in the above structure of the present invention, for furthercontrolling the batch discharge capacity of the cleaner solution fromthe main body 1, the present invention may have a control knob 131settled on the drain tube 13 for adjusting the yield.

Still referring to FIG. 5, therein, another embodiment of the presentinvention is provided. As shown, the fixture 2 adjustable in length iscomposed of a first arm 23, a second arm 24 and a fixing member 25. Eachof the first arm 23 and the second arm 24 is provided with a lengthwiseslot 232 or 242. When the first arm 23 and the second arm 24 areoverlapped, a fixing member 25 with threads is allowed to pass the twoslots 232, 242 and fasten the first arm 23 and the second arm 24together so as to achieve the stepless adjustment of the length of thefixture.

Moreover, basing on the above structure of the present invention, asupporting member 14 (as shown in FIG. 6) is provided in theaccommodating space 11 of the main body 1 so as to allow a bar-shapedautomatic toilet bowl cleaner 5 settled slantwise to have a front endreceived in the accommodating space 11 and immersed in water inside thetoilet tank 4, and have a rear end jutting out of the water inside thetoilet tank 4, in the manner that the bar-shaped automatic toilet bowlcleaner 5 gradually glides downward with its dissolution.

In virtue of the structure described above, the presence of thesupporting member 14 in the main body 1 allows the bar-shaped automatictoilet bowl cleaner 5 to be settled in the main body 1 slantwise, withthe front end thereof received in the accommodating space 11 andimmersed in the water inside the toilet tank 4 for gradual dissolution,while remaining the rear end jutting out of the water inside the toilettank 4 undissolved until the front end have gradually dissolved and thewhole cleaner 5 glides downward due to gravity to make the rear endcontact the water and dissolve gradually, thereby prolonging the uselife of the bar-shaped automatic toilet bowl cleaner 5. This not onlyeffectively overcomes the problem of the waste caused by excessivelyhigh concentration of the conventional block-shaped automatic toiletbowl cleaner that is entire dissolved from the time it is dropped intothe toilet tank, but also releases the users from economic burdens offrequently replacing the automatic toilet bowl cleaner.

In the above structure of the present invention, the supporting member14 serving to support the bar-shaped automatic toilet bowl cleaner 5 maypractically be realized by various designs too numerous to be recitedone by one. Thus, two preferred embodiments are herein provided to beread together with the drawings for reference. The first is a plate 141as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 that is settled slantwise and providedthereon with a plurality of through holes 142. The through holes 142allow the cleaner solution to be promptly mixed with the water in theaccommodating space 11 of the main body 1.

In addition to the aforementioned plate 141, the supporting member 14 ofthe present invention may be alternatively composed of a plurality ofsupporting rods 143 that are slantwise arrayed in the accommodatingspace 11 of the main body 1 (as shown in FIG. 8), for providing the sameeffect. In addition, an extended portion 16 is extended from one lateralof the main body 1 for matching an inclined angle of the bar-shapedautomatic toilet bowl cleaner 5.

Furthermore, despite its altitude in a toilet tank, the main body of thepresent invention facilitates saving water to a certain extent. However,if it is also desired to prolong the use life of an automatic toiletbowl cleaner, it is preferred that the main body has its top surfaceslightly higher than the full water level of the toilet tank.

To sum up, the present invention, by adjusting the altitude of the mainbody of the present invention in a toilet tank, controls thewater-reservation capacity of the toilet tank occupied by the main body,so as to effectively prolong the use life of an automatic toilet bowlcleaner and prevent undissolved pieces of the automatic toilet bowlcleaner from being discharged out, avoiding unnecessary waste of theautomatic toilet bowl cleaner and facilitating saving water.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the structure of the presentinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present inventioncover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fallwithin the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

1. A toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly with water-saving function,the toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly being configured to beinstalled in a toilet tank and comprising: a main body provided thereinwith an accommodating space for receiving an automatic toilet bowlcleaner, and provided thereon with at least one drain tube (vent), whichhas a batch discharge capacity smaller than an overall capacity of themain body during each flush travel of the toilet tank; and a fixturehaving one end fixed to the toilet tank and an opposite end fixed to themain body so as to position the main body in the toilet tank.
 2. Thetoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 1, wherein the fixture isadjustable in length or adjustable in position with respect to the mainbody so as to allow an altitude of the main body in the toilet tank tobe changed.
 3. The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 2,wherein the fixture further comprises a first arm, a second arm and afixing member, the first arm and the second arm being overlapped andfastened together by means of a fixing member.
 4. Thetoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 3, wherein the first armhas a side adjacent to the second arm provided with a plurality ofequidistant positioning holes while the second arm has a side adjacentto the first arm provided with at least one positioning post.
 5. Thetoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 3, wherein each of thefirst arm and the second arm is provided with a lengthwise slot so thatwhen the first arm and the second arm are overlapped, a fixing memberwith threads is allowed to pass the two slots and fasten the first armand the second arm together.
 6. The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatchassembly of claim 1, wherein the fixture has the end fixed to the toilettank formed as a U-shaped hanging hook.
 7. The toilet-bowl-cleanerdispatch assembly of claim 6, wherein the hanging hook has an outer sidethereof provided with a threaded hole and a knob having threads.
 8. Thetoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 1, wherein drain tube(vent) is settled at a lateral of the main body.
 9. Thetoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 1, wherein a finelymeshed filtering net is provided in the accommodating space of mainbody.
 10. The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 9, whereinthe filtering net settled in the accommodating space of the main bodyfor receiving the automatic toilet bowl cleaner.
 11. Thetoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 9, wherein the filteringnet is settled at a front end of the drain tube (vent) on the main body.12. The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 1, wherein acontrol knob is provide at the drain tube on the main body for adjustingthe batch discharge capacity of the drain tube (vent).
 13. Thetoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 1, wherein the main bodyhas a top surface higher than a full water level of the toilet tank. 14.The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 1, wherein the batchdischarge capacity of the drain tube (vent) on the main body is smallerthan one half of the overall capacity of the main body during each saidflush travel of the toilet tank.
 15. The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatchassembly of claim 1, wherein a supporting member is provided in theaccommodating space of the main body so as to allow a bar-shapedautomatic toilet bowl cleaner settled in the main body to have a frontend received in the accommodating space and immersed in water inside thetoilet tank and have a rear end jutting out of the water inside thetoilet tank.
 16. The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 15,wherein the supporting member in the accommodating space of the mainbody is an inclined plate.
 17. The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assemblyof claim 16, wherein the plate is formed with a plurality of throughholes.
 18. The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 15,wherein the supporting member in the accommodating space of the mainbody is composed of at least one supporting rod.
 19. Thetoilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 18, wherein plural saidsupporting rods are slantwise arrayed in the accommodating space of themain body.
 20. The toilet-bowl-cleaner dispatch assembly of claim 15,wherein an extended portion is extended from one lateral of the mainbody for matching an inclined angle of the bar-shaped automatic toiletbowl cleaner.